Parenting or Corrupting?

I am on a rant today… which is not how I care to end a very nice holiday weekend, but I cannot help it. I am trying to decide if I am just naive, critical, judgemental or crazy.

Question: as parents, is it okay to provide and drink alcohol with your underage children?

Call me mean, strict, irrational…but my answer has always been, “no, absolutely not”. On this, my (ex) husband and I have always agreed and never ever waivered from that. I have been known to cause a scene when certain family members have offered a celebratory glass of bubbly to my then teenaged children on holidays and special occaisions.

Second Question: Is it okay to provide and serve alcohol to underage friends of my children? (once again, my answer, “No, absolutely not”)

And, on that note, don’t you dare offer alcoholic beverages to my underage children assuming that I am one of the majority of parents who seem to think it is okay these days.

How can we expect our children to follow rules and respect the law if we are helping them break it with our blessing? The hypocrisy is mindblowing to me.

Parenting is teaching, loving, encouraging, protecting and so much more. As much as I long to be my children’s friend, I will never abandon my parenting responsibilitiess There are many rules, laws, and especially God’s commandments that I want to teach and show my children to follow and respect. It is the least I can do to arm them with the knowledge and understanding to keep them on the proper path long after they are my underage children.

To do any less would be a disservice to them as well as a mockery of the rules, laws and commandments themselves. As a society and as respectable parents we need to do the right thing.